Merchandise display tray



Nov. 5, 1957 J. F. TRAXLER Y 2,812,225

MERCHANDISE DISPLAY TRAY Filed Sept. 20. 1954 iiyama??- nited States Patent MERCHANDISE DISPLAY TRAY John F. Traxler, Stamford, rN. Y.

Application September 20, 1954, Serial No. 457,185 s claims. (ci. sitz-140.3.)

This invention relates to merchandising trays and more particularly to merchandising traysl having adjustable partitions.

It is an object of the present linvention to provide a merchandise display counter having manually adjustable glass partitions which are disposable in'an upright position without risk of tilting or sloping thereof.

Another object of the present invention is 'to provide a merchandise display counter employing manually adjustable ,clips for supporting the partitions 'thereof at various locations upon the said counter.

A further object of the invention is to provide .a merchandise display tray which is of simple and .durable construction and which may be marketed at a comparatively low price.

A still further object of the present 4invention is to provide a merchandise display rtray which is efficient yin use and easily cleaned.

Other and more specific objects .of the present invention will be apparent from the following description as read in connection with the accompanying drawing, the novel features of this invention being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a merchandise display counter employing the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line 2-2 of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows located at the ends of the said line; j

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the two perforated panels which are located at the base of the said invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing various types of clips disposed upon the merchandise display tray and supporting glass partitions thereon;

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are perspective views. of the various clips employed in the invention;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of the base of the said merchandise display tray.

As is well known, merchandise display counters employing suitable partitions are commonplace and perhaps indispensable mercantile equipment. Furthermore, in such devices, it is highly desirable to have partitions which are easily adjustable so as to economically accommodate articles of merchandise of various sizes and shapes. The present invention has been conceived so as to solve this problem with the use of a minimum number of parts of simple and ingenious construction.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the embodiment of the invention therein shown is a supporting member 10 employing a suitable shoulder 11 for retaining the lower portion of the display tray. The supporting member 10 maybe incorporated in -anysuitable merchandising table (not shown) of conventional design. The lower portion of the display tray is supported on the said shoulder 11 and comprises the horizontal panels 12 and 13 separated 13 may be constructed of sheet metal, pressed board, wood, or plastic and are mounted parallel to one another at a distance of approximately 3%. Each of the said panels 12' and 13 incorporates a number of cross-s`haped apertures 15 and 16 located in straight rows and columns and in identical positions and 'dispositions upon the said panels 12 and 13 so that each of the said apertures`15 located on .the upper panel 13 is directly above a'corresponding aperture 16 located on the lower panel 12.

The upper surface area of panel 13 may be rectangularly enclosed by walls 1'7, 1'8 and 1'9, which may be constructed of glass or other suitable material, and the said area may be subdivided by a number of suitably located glass partitions 20 and 21 so as to form rectangular compartments.

A variety of ingenious supporting clips are utilized for the purpose of rigidly mounting in a Vertical position the said walls 17, 18 and 19v and partitions 20 and 21 in the locations described above. Thus at the corners of panel 13 is located a clip 22 having four vertical sheet metal members 23 and 24, forming the sides of two compartments disposed at right yangles to one another and adapted to receive and removably secure in such position Walls 17 and 18. The said compartments have lower surfaces 25 and 26 which serve to support the walls 17 Y and 18 and a horizontal sheet metal stiifening member 27 which adds rigidity to the entire clip 22 and serves to maintain the compartments thereof at right angles with respect to one another. The said clip 22 also employs a vertical anchoring member 28 composed of sheet metal and suitably alTiXed to the lower surface of the said'stiening member 27. This anchoring member 23 is disposed so as to be capable of reception within one of the cross-shaped apertures 15 located in the vicinity of the corner of the aforementioned panel 13 and also within one of the corresponding apertures 16 located below in the panel 12.

Since it may be inconvenient, and indeed is undesirable, to secure the walls 17 and 1S only at the corners of the display tray, and since another wall 19 may serve as a continuation Vof the said enclosure, a side Wall clip 29 is employed for connecting and anchoring two walls 18 and 19 located on the same side of the rectangular enclosure. This clip 29 has two parallel vertical sheet metal walls 30 separated into two compartments by a vertical transverse member 31 integral with said walls 3). The last mentioned compartments also employ a suitable lower surface 32 for supporting the said walls 18 and 19 and a horizontal plate 33 for mounting two sheet metal block-shaped anchors 34 on the lower surface of the said plate 33, the said anchors 34 being disposed so as to be removably received in one corner of each of two of the cross-shaped apertures 15 on the upper panel 13 as well as the corresponding corner of the apertures 16 located directly below. The plate 33 also terminates in a member 35 having two substantially vertical side walls 36 adapted to be removably clipped upon one portion of the upper panel 13 located between the aforesaid two apertures 15 and to rigidly hold in position the entire side wall clip 29.

The partitions 20 and 21 are also rigidly but removably mounted in a vertical position by appropriate clips 37 and 38. Thus where such a partition 2t) is in the vicinity and rigidly held with respect to one another at .appropriate intervals by a vertical block14` The saidpanels 12 and of an enclosing wall 18, it may be supported by a sheet metal clip 37, having two Vertical side walls 39 and a back yportion 40, adapted to removably secure one end of the rnovably` secured within the said cross-shaped aperture as well as the corresponding aperture 16 located directly below, the said anchor 42 extending entirely from the edge of one end ofthe cross-shaped apertures 15 and 16 to the opposite edge of the far side thereof, and is thus rigidly but removably secured within the said apertures 15 and 16. ,The top surface 43 of the said anchor 42 serves to support` the end of the partition when enclosed by the side walls 39 and back portion 40.

Since portions of the partition 20 will cover substantial parts of the apertures 15, when mounting partitions 21 at right angles to the first mentioned partition 20, the supporting clip 38 therefor must be adapted for anchoring within the exposed portion of the apertures 15. Accordngly this clip 38 has two sheet metal side walls 44 adapted for removably securing a partition 21 therein and terminatingin two arcuate bends 45 adapted for support upon the edges of panel 13 surrounding one portion of the said aperture 15, a back portion 46 and a vertical anchoring member 47 having a rectangular cross-sectional shape of a size suitable for being removably secured within one of the said exposed areas of the cross-shaped apertures 15 as well as the corresponding portion of the aperture 16 located directly beneath.

Since the partition clips 37 and 38 are manually removable, it will be seen that a wide variety of sizes and shapes of rectangular and other straight-sided compartments may be availed of by appropriate location of the said clips 37 and 38, It is also noteworthy that all of the clips 22, 29, 37 and 38 used in the present invention may be constructed of a material such as stainless steel so as to resist tarnishing and present a clean appearance.

When the said clips 37 and 38 have been suitably located, the exposed cross-shaped apertures remaining may be covered by a material such as paper or wood so that an unbroken surface will appear, the said surface and parbeing modified in respect to details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts whichmay be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a merchandising counter having an inner horizontal yinner shoulder located on the upper portions thereof, the combination comprising enclosing walls, means for removably securing a plurality of the said enclosing walls upon the upper portion of the said counter, partitions, means for removably securing the said partitions within the said enclosing walls and adjacent thereto and means for securing the ends of some of the partitions in the vicinity of the sides of other of said partitions, a

plurality of vertically spaced horizontal panels each havt ing a series of cross-shaped apertures arranged in a number of rows and columns, the said apertures on each of said panels being in vertical alignment with said apertures on the other of said panels, all of said means being received within predetermined ones of said apertures, the lower of said panels being supported upon the inner horizontal shoulder, said means for removably securing a plurality of the said enclosing walls upon the upper portion of the said counter comprising at least one clip located at one corner of the said counter and having four vertical sheet metal members forming the sides of two compartments disposed at right angles to one another, the said compartments having back portions, bottom surfaces and a horizontal sheet metal stitfening member integral with the said compartments, the said clip having a vertical sheet metal anchoring member aiiixed to the lower surface of the said stiiening member and receivable within one of the said cross-shaped apertures located in the vicinity of one corner of the upper of the said horizontalrpanels, the said anchoring member also being receivable within the cross-shaped aperture located in the lower of the said horizontal panels and in alignment with the last-mentioned aperture, the said compartments being suitable forA reception at right angles of the ends of two vertical enclosing walls, the said means for removably securing a plurality of the said enclosing walls upon the upper portion of the said counter also comprising at least one clip located at a point along the side of the said counter and having two parallel vertical sheet metal walls separated into two compartments by a vertical transverse sheet metal member integral with the said walls, a lower surface for supporting the said walls and a horizontal plate having two sheet metal blockshaped anchoring members affixed to the lower surface thereof and disposed for removable reception in one corner of each of two of the said cross-shaped apertures located on the upper of the said horizontal panels in the vicinity of the Asaid point along the side of the said counter, the said anchoring members last-mentioned also being receivable within the cross-shaped apertures located in the lower of the said horizontal panels and in alignment with the last-mentioned apertures, the said plate also terminating in two substantially vertical side walls adapted to being removably secured upon one portion of the said upper Vhorizontal panel located between the aforementioned two apertures located on the said upper horizontal panel, the last-mentioned removable side walls being suitable for holding in a rigid upright position the last-mentioned clip located along the side of the said counter, the said clip being suitable for removably securing the end portions of two of the said enclosing walls along the side of the said counter, the said enclosing walls being at an angle of degrees with respect to each other and being disposed within the compartments of the said clip.

2. In a merchandising counter having an inner horizontal inner shoulder located on the upper portions thereof, the combination comprising enclosing walls, means for removably securing a plurality of the said enclosing walls upon the upper portion of the said counter, partitions, means for removably securing the said partitions within the said enclosing walls and adjacent thereto and means for securing the ends of some of the partitions in the vicinity of the sides of other of said partitions, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal panels each having a series of cross-shaped apertures arranged in a number of rows and columns, the said apertures on each of said panels being in vertical alignment with said apertures on the other of said panels, all of said means being received within predetermined ones of said apertures, the lower of said panels being supported upon the inner horizontal shoulder, said means for removably securing the said partitions wit-hin the said enclosing walls and adjacent thereto comprising at least one clip composed of sheet metal and having two vertical side walls and a back portion adapted to removably secure one end of the said partition in an upright position, the said clip being suitably notched to receive in a horizontal position a portion of the upper of said panels which forms the edgeof one of the cross-shaped apertures in the vicinity of the said clip, the said side Walls terminating above the said notch in slight arcuate bends adapted to rest upon the said edge, the said clip also having a sheet metal anchoring portion extending from the said side walls and back portion thereof, the said anchoring portion having a rectangular cross-sectional shape removably securable within the said cross-shaped aperture and within the aperture aligned therewith and located within the Ilower of the said horizontal panels, the said anchoring portion extending from the edge of one 'end of the said cross-shaped apertures to the opposite edge of the tar side thereof and having an upper surface adapted to support the low portion of the end of the said partition.

3. In a merchandising counter having an inner horizontal inner shoulder located on the upper portions thereof, the combination comprising enclosing walls, means for removably securing a plurality of the said enclosing walls upon the upper portion of the said counter, partitions, means for removably securing the said partitions within the said enclosing walls and adjacent thereto and means for securing the ends of some of the partitions in the vicinity of the sides of other of said partitions, a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal panels each having a series of cross-shaped apertures arranged in a number of rows and columns, the said apertures on each of said panels being in vertical `alignment with said apertures on the other of said panels, all of said means being received within predetermined ones of said apertures, the lower of said panels being supported upon the inner horizontal shoulder, the said means for securing the ends of some of the said partitions in the vicinity of the sides of other of the said partitions comprising at least one clip composed of sheet metal and having two vertical side walls and a back portion adapted to removably secure one end ofthe rst mentioned partitions in the vicinity of the sides of other of the said partitions, the said side walls terminating in two arcuate bends adapted for support upon -the edges of the upper of the said horizontal panels surrounding one portion of one of the said cross-shaped apertures, the latter said portion being one leg of the said aperture, the said clip also having a rectangular crosssectional shape of a size suitable for being removably secured within the said portion of the s-aid aperture as well as the corresponding portion of the aperture aligned with the rst mentioned aperture and located in the lower of the said horizontal panels.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,911,377 Mapson May 30, 1933 2,102,657 Von Palmenberg Dec. 21, 1937 2,109,255 Mapson Feb. 22, 1938 2,114,510 Thomas Apr. 19, 1938 2,120,653 Sliger June 14, 1938 2,123,264 Walter July 12, 1938 2,148,892 Bales Feb. 22, 1939 2,207,515 Hueglin July 9, 1940 2,228,221 Bales Jan. 7, 1941 

